. how i start my [early] day .

by Amanda @ .running with spoons. on August 6, 2013

Another day, another bright and early morning!

I’m starting to think that I need to move to the east coast and put myself in a different time zone – at least then my hours of sleeping would shift from 10 PM – 4 AM to 12 AM – 6 AM, which seems a little more acceptable by normal standards.

But really, I’m not complaining. I mean, sure… waking up at 4:30 makes the day super long, and I usually feel like I’ve been up forever by the time the late afternoon rolls around, but I honestly adore the early morning, and having a good 4 hours to attend to other things before I even have to think about getting ready for work isn’t something that I’d willingly give up.

Why? Because it gives me the opportunity to calmly gather my thoughts before the craziness of the day sets in. Because taking some time to reflect on my goals helps me set myself up for the kind of day that I want to have. Because I can’t avoid it, so I may as well make the most of it, right? Kidding on that last one. Mostly

I do love my morning routine, though, and I figured it would be fun to give you guys a glimpse into what it looks like… because I’m nosy and I just assume other people are too. And since yesterday’s post was kind of wordy, I’ll let the pictures do [most of] the talking today…

The very first thing I do (well… second… but I’m not willing to show you the first ) is drown my stomach in copious amounts of water. No lemon (it makes my stomach feel wonky), just water. I try to drink at least 2L of water a day (lately it’s been more like 3), and I probably get through a good quarter of that first thing in the AM.

Next comes tea. Winter, summer, home, or travelling, I always have a cup of this tea first thing in the morning. I.am.obsessed.

Some quick stretching while I wait for my tea to cool.

With my tea brewed (and cooled), I’ll light a candle and sit down to do some quick journalling/meditation. This is something that I just started doing recently (before, I would start my day on the computer), and I have to say I’m a huge fan. It felt a little awkward and forced at first, but it really does make a difference in how my day pans out.

After that, I’ll usually spend some time on the computer, either putting the finishing touches on my post or catching up with blogs I follow while my breakfast cooks.

And then it’s time for breakfast [by the computer]. Can’t start my day without it.

With food in my belly, I start to prep for the day. Brush teeth. Shower. General maintenance.

… put my face on…

… put some [real life] clothes on…

Aaaaaand then it really depends. Sometimes I’ll go for a walk; sometimes I’ll spend more time on the computer; sometimes I’ll study; sometimes I’ll have a quick chat with J if he’s around; sometimes I’ll party like it’s 1999… Anything to kill some time before I have to get to work.

So there you have it… how pretty much all of my days start out. I’ll admit that I wouldn’t mind if they started out a little bit later, but seeing as I wake up with tonnes of energy and don’t find myself dragging through the day, I’m not going to worry about it too much for now.

Hope your guys’ days are off to a great start too! See you tomorrow for WIAW!

. – . – . – .

What time did you wake up today? What was breakfast this morning?What’s an essential part of your morning?

Today, I woke up as usual around 6am, and ate a breakfast of Barbara’s Bakery Snackimals (YES, like you, I finally purchased a box – today, I tried the vanilla flavor… so yummy!), Special K Red Berries, Yoplait 100 Greek Peach yogurt, a banana and coffee!Melissa recently posted..Accepting the FINAL ROSE: Why I’m watching “The Bachelorette”

Today I woke up at 6:20. Usually I wake up anywhere between 5:30-6:30. If I work out first then I’m out the door by 5:45, but if not i get to lie in bed til 6:50 which i love to do and just gather my thoughts, think about whats ahead for the day and all of that. and breakfast hasnt happened yet, I’m not sure what i’m in the mood for. i do have a huge nonfat blonde misto next to me though Charlotte @ Commitness to Fitness recently posted..These Modern Conveniences Are Rather Inconvenient: A Play in 3 Acts

I absolutely love this post. I am such a HUGE fan of early mornings and getting up early and enjoying my mornings is what I do on a regular basis. I don’t have to get up nearly as early as I do, and a lot of people think I’m crazy waking up so early if I have no need to, but my early morning time to myself definitely helps me get my day off on a good note. I wake up by 5 am usually every morning during the week, a little later on the weekends, but still have those quiet mornings all to myself. LOVE them…wouldn’t give them up either. elise recently posted..My-Oh-My…Monday’s Feeling Marvelous

I used to hate waking up early. I mean, I’ve always been a morning person but I usually was out of the house within 15-20 minutes of waking up. Now that I’m awake by 6 almost every morning, most of the time I have 2 hours before I have to be somewhere. I read blogs, books, lay in bed and respond I texts. I like the extra time in the morning now before I have to be somewhere. I can’t go anywhere until 8 anyways living on a boat, so it works out quite nicely for me and forces me to relax.

I woke up at 6:30 this morning! A lot of mornings I wake up around 5:50, though, so that I can get out for a walk before work. And my morning is never complete without a little blogging time! Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl recently posted..Spicy Tortilla Chip Bean Burgers

I woke up at my normal time which was after snoozing my alarm 4x. I don’t do well in the morning. I had some dry Honey Rice Puffin’s — my fave! I seriously don’t have anything essential to do in the morning aside from just getting ready for work.Ashley @ OurPersonalRecords recently posted..Living at home: the early chronicles

I love these type of posts.. you know getting a sneak peak into your everyday life, Ha Ha!

I wake up at 4 AM every morning, and the first thing I do [besides give Joshua a morning kiss] is write in my journal. I make it a point to write what I’m grateful for, and any thoughts that I may have at the moment.Jessie recently posted..I’m speechless…

I love this.. my favorite thing is to take mornings slow and not be rushed. I don’t think 4 will ever be my awakening time, though! I would like to start waking up earlier to get things done before the craziness of the day comes. I’m still on honeymoon time, though.. tomorrows wake up will be quite painful! haha

I woke up at 8:30, am going to have oatmeal (best thing ever!) and i can’t live without tazo zen tea in the morning!Heather @fitncookies recently posted..My Wedding- Table Accessories

I woke up at 5 this morning, (or made me wake up), – my normal time when I get a workout in before work. My meditation is essential for my day, as is a good amount of water with lemon and acv – these 4 things (meditation, lemon water, ecv, workout) are so important for my day and I absolutely live it. Even on vacation I normally start my days like this. There is of course 1-2 days I sleep in (Sat or Sun) – and this is just as blissful for a change. And yes, I can sleep till 9 easily, despite being a morning person.lucie recently posted..Juicing – Guest Post

An essential part of my morning is getting my sweat sesh in, although I simultaneously look forward to and dread rest days. Look forward to because that means I can “sleep in” and generally be a little bit lazier. Dread because my morning workout is like my meditative time–it’s just me, my thoughts, and the open road (or, in most cases, the treadmill. :P) I’d love to be able to wake up earlier in the mornings because I always feel so rushed trying to get things done on time (and I’m just terribly late to everything anyways), but I suppose, like everything in life, that’s both a blessing and a curse. Beth @ Mangoes and Miles recently posted..A New Direction

Waking up that early would drive me bonkers, and that really says something since I’m a morning person. Then again, I have this problem where I always have to feel so darn “productive.” It’s kind of annoying, really. No partying like it’s 1999 for me… at least not on weekday mornings.Tiff @ Love Sweat and Beers recently posted..Being the Hostess with the Mostess

I have that same issue with productivity… I actually think that’s part of the reason why my brain wakes me up so early – it feels like it needs to start crossing things off the to-do list so they don’t pile up.

What a beautiful, relaxing morning routine! I love mornings too, especially in the summer when you can catch the sun rising. It’s perfect. I’m on summer holiday now, but my regular “teacher routine” starts at 4:45, but it’s all rush rush rush. Although the streetcar ride to work, even I can get a seat by the window, is nice and calming. Enjoy your day!Leslie recently posted..Tiger Salad

Um, were we totally thinking on the same page this morning? Haha, I swear our posts are quite similar;) This makes me even more convinced we’re super alike. I’m pretty darn sure my mornings are almost identical to how you start yours and not too surprisingly I’m an early riser as well.
This morning I actually woke up quite late (for me) 6:00!Lisa recently posted..Start Your Day Off Right

So, I seriously wish I woke up at 4:30 a.m. everyday. I could get SO much done that way. I get up at 6:45 every morning and am out the door for work by 7:30. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that since I can’t get up that early, I workout and shower in the evening instead of the a.m. Maybe one day I can train myself to get up that early.

I can’t eat super early in the a.m., so I bring my breakfast to work and eat it around 9 or 9:30. This morning it’s a chocolate banana protein smoothie. Yummy!Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat recently posted..A Day at the Beach

That sounds like such a relaxing, good start to the day — I wish I had time/the will to get up earlier!! The alarm goes off at 6, and i usually turn it off and then get out of bed at about 6:20! Breakfast this morning was a smoothie with chocolate protein and frozen banana/berries (I have yet to try to sweet potato yet!) — i think the essential thing in my morning is my coffee, puppy snuggles — oh and a shower – can’t function without one!Brittany @ Read, Run, Repeat recently posted..The Beauty Secret EVERY Woman Should Know {+ blogiversary Simone-France GIVEAWAY}

I used to consider myself a morning person. Until I met you, that is. 4am?!? That’s just crazy. Although, I had the 12-6 schedule going for a while there! Damn school. Your mornings do sound pretty relaxing though. I love having time to move slowly in the morning. It just starts my day off on a nice, relaxed note, rather than a rushed and stressed one.Carly @ Snack Therapy recently posted..All Professional and Stuff

Sounds like you found a beautiful way to fill your morning hours. I am considering myself an early bird getting up around 6 every morning , since my boyfriend is more of the “I can sleep until 2 pm if you’d let me” kind of guy. And I would never give up those morning hours which are just mine. I even thought about moving my sleeping schedule to get up like half an hour earlier to have a bit more time for my yoga session before heading to the office. And that is something else that I enjoy: starting work early. Since I can decide whenever I like to come to the office and do my hours, I usually start around 7 am and am done in the early afternoon. That gives me the feeling to have so much more day left to fill with things I love.Ksenija @ Health Ninja recently posted..Salad Fest 2013 {tempeh grilled peach salad with blackberry cilantro pesto}

I used to always wake up early, but I have started sleeping in more. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I live in a basement now, so I can blOck out more light. I have always woken up with the sun, so if I don’t have good blinds, I may be up at 5am depending on where I am!

Waking up that early everyday would leave me with a 7 o’clock bedtime or extreme amounts of coffee. Most of my mornings include coffee anyway. I’m a big fan of drinking lots of water in the morning. I feel better hydrated and aim to get half my water intake by noon.Ashley @ Life and Fitness recently posted..Swimming Cardio Workout

I usually get up between 5-5:30am and although I dread it 9 times out of 10, I get over it in about 5 minutes and then love the extra time I get from it. I always feel like I’m missing out on time if I wake up later than 7am, so I try to keep this consistent even on the weekends (sometimes this is difficult though).Christina @ Pinch of Healthy recently posted..All-Natural Protein Pancakes and Dinosaurs

You should totally move to east coast, that way we could be up at the same time together! I love the early mornings – I don’t mind waking so early because it is my optimal time for getting things accomplished…I actually woke up and decided not to have my oatmeal concoction and went with ezekial raisin toast with pb, a little banana and blueberries. Not sure what came over me but it was delish! Of course lunch today will now be steel cut oat, greek yogurt and fruit parfait. I can’t go without having it at some point each day.meredith recently posted..Three Tip Tuesday- I am back!

I typically get up at 6 a.m. I haven’t this summer, but today I did and when I go back to school I will. I either go to the gym or go for a run. Or lately I’ve been having quiet time for the first party of my morning. If I do go to the gym then I spend the rest of my morning slowly getting ready. Love mornings I enjoyed getting to peak into your morning routine!Sky @ The Blonde In Black recently posted..Back to the Basics

I love the mornings as well! I don’t get up quite as early as you, but I can definitely relate to how the morning holds a special place in your heart as being you “me time”. There’s something about the quietness and serenity that get me ready for the day :).

I have read SO many things about how it’s good to get up early and get the important things done (Which could just be chilling!) before the day really “starts ” I’ve been trying to get up earlier and it’s SO nice to not rush around in the morning!

I wake up super early too! I kind of like it because I feel like I get more day to enjoy. I also really enjoy the quite before the rest of my fam wakes up. An essential part of my day is coffee, for sure.Kim @ Hungry Healthy Girl recently posted..Brownies for my Birthday

I would absolutely adore waking up this early too if i knew it didn’t mean i would be dragging by lunch time haha. I slept in till 7:30 today since i’m running after work, and I have to say it was glorious! I think I got a little over 8 hours for the second time in two days…a girl could get used to this an essential part of my morning is a good breakfast with tea and some blog reading while watching whatever i dvred the night before. I like starting my day with some fun stuff and good food, so those things do the trick Caitlin recently posted..Fun Facts Friday

How do you only sleep 6 hours? I need at least 8, 9-10 is ideal. I’m kind of ridiculous…

I prefer to start my day with a workout. It’s my “me” time. I would like to start AM journaling, but I’m always in such a rush in the morning (I love my sleep and am not an early morning person unfortunately).Cassie @RedLetterDaye recently posted..And the living’s easy.

Most of my mornings are exactly the same and I tend to work around 10-12 which allows for my routine. I wake up at 6, and absolutely love the calm mornings I have. I go for a walk, drink 32oz of water, have my coffee, blog read, and then start getting ready after at least 2-3hrs of “me time.” It’s something I adore and wouldn’t give up!! This morning I had cereal…for the first time in FOREVER! It was so good.Brittany recently posted..Old Soul

I didn’t get up till about 7:15 today. My fiance and I didn’t get home until late and both were a little lazy getting around this morning. Caffeine is an essential part of my day…as is laying in bed for at least 5 minutes before getting out of bed– helps me prep for the day!Laura @losingrace recently posted..Boston (NY) Trail race/Mud run Recap

I think you have a great morning routine! I’m able to get up at 6:40am and get my morning started pretty quickly. I never eat breakfast until I’ve been awake and moving for 3 hours – then it’s an avacado and hard boiled egg. Gets the body moving with lots of protein. Thanks for sharing your mornings!Samantha @ 10000 Squats recently posted..Week 2: Junk in the Trunk

While I’m a lot better with mornings that I used to be, my happy time to wake up is still 7:00-7:30. My natural inclination is stay up until 11 or 12, so 7:00-7:30 still allows me the perfect amount of sleep. I was up at 6:25 this morning though – damn work/wanting to work out before work.
An essential part of my morning is puppy cuddles. Atticus is definitely getting to the super-cuddly lap-dog phase (when he’s not feeling particularly hyper), so in the morning if he wakes up with me he’ll snooze on my lap while I eat breakfast/am at the computer. Other than that, a ton of water in the morning – I try to minimize drinking in the evening so i’m not up during the night, so i’m usually really thirsty when I get up.
Breakfast this morning was protein oats in a peanut butter jar with a bit of wildberry jam. But now I’m hungry for lunch…bah 25 minutes until my break!Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted..Wonderful Weekend Wedding.

I drink a lot of water first thing in the morning, too. Mainly because I wake up parched and also because I know for the next couple of hours I’ll be drinking nothing but coffee. This morning I woke up at 7:00 and kept trying to fall back to sleep until giving up at 7:45 to walk Elmo. Then, some good stretching, coffee, and Kelly & Michael. I really want to start journaling more but my perfectionism doesn’t allow me to just write. I always act like I’m writing a novel or something and plan out what I’m writing, which totally defeats the purpose of a journal. Oof.

I’m impressed with your morning routine! I need to be better about drinking water in the AM. How often do you sleep in or over sleep? I overslept (not too late but long enough to miss my yoga class) this morning and am feeling so sluggish because of it. I much prefer getting up early, but here and there, my body says no thank you!Alex @ Cookie Dough Katzen recently posted..Another Marvelous Monday

I wake up at 6 everyday to get ready for work at 7:30. I wish I had more time to relax and prepare for the day but I just can’t get out of bed earlier unless I have to get a workout done in the AM.Reba – Not So Perfect Life recently posted..Vanilla Bean Scones- Gluten Free and Vegan

I used to have to get up for work at 2:30am to get to work at 3:30 am for the 4am show! Yep… That was AWESOME! When you wake up that early though, you’re almost “drunk” tired so it’s funny. I would work out during break around 7am and then be back at it until 12:30pm or so. Then I would be on a little bit of a high and crash around 4pm, however, I couldn’t really sleep until 9 or 10! HA! I feel you lady, but we all get on routines, which helps!GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted..Tricked Out With Coolio

Girl, you are literally insane for waking up that early all the time….. lol. I think the only time I ever do that is when I’m catching some absurdly early flight! I mean, it’s still dark out for Pete’s sake! I wake up at 7am usually on weekdays. Sleep in a little bit on weekends…. but that depends on a lot of things. 7am used to be SUPER early for me though, but obviously you can get used to different things just like you’ve gotten used to 4:30am apparently! Still, I can’t imagine, haha.

I had cottage cheese and fruit with egg whites and toast on the side for breakfast today! Was still pretty hungry shortly after so I had a cinnamon raisin bagel like an hour later! I’m really into bagels lately…. not sure why. They’re a great snack though

Oh girl believe me… I’m definitely not ruling out insanity here. If you would have asked me a few years ago if I would have enjoyed waking up at 4:30, I would have laughed myself sick… But it seems to be working for now, so I’m just going with it…

I love the idea of journalling in the mornings! I started writing in my journal again a few months ago, but I haven’t been keeping up with it because I can never find the time (or I just don’t make the time.. same thing :P).

You know how I said I’ve been sleeping later now that I’m at home? Yeah well this morning I was up at 5 am for no reason. Yuck. I feel like a zombie today!

Breakfast this morning was banana chia egg white oatmeal with berries and Barney Butter. I haven’t had this for breakfast in like a week (because of my work schedule), so I was super excited for this breakfast haha.Chelsea @ Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen recently posted..My new favourite kombucha

I started my day at 6am, did an hour of strength training, super nice hot shower & off to the office. breakfast (this week- I meal prep for the 5 day work week & eat the same thing all week- makes it simple!) is home made breakfast power bar: vanilla whey protein powder, egg whites, golden flax meal & fresh peaches (they bake up all nice & puffy & everyone thinks its cake!). I always have to write an email in the morning, usually to my sister or grandma,; its probably like your journaling- just writing down thoughts & sharing events makes me settle in for the day I love reading about other people’s days- why are they so much more interesting?!

What an adorable coffee mug. Morn ings are my personal time that I have not been getting much of with all my hours. I like to start off (about 15 minutes after waking) with a run, followed by food and coffee and reading some blogs and personal time. I then head to work around 8:30 and it’s honestly what has kept me sane. It’s my personal time to do as I please (no one is home and it’s so quiet).Hollie recently posted..Memorial Scholarship 5k (18:52)

Call me crazy but I wish I could swap with you and turn into a morning person. I woke up at – no, wait, was dragged out of bed by the unyielding sound of my phone alarm – at 7.24 [yes, I set it to weird times] and after a little stretching got ready for work. So yes, stretching is an essential part of my morning, too, and has been for years. It does its little magic to turn me from half-asleep to functioning human :).
Your morning routine sounds awesome with being able to have some me time before the day gets crazy busy and hectic. And fitting in a walk before work? Sounds just perfect.
Now tell me how you managed to become a morning person as you said you hadn’t always been. Maybe there’s hope for me, too :)?!Miss Polkadot recently posted..Marvelous in my Monday: Wedding ahoy!

I did somehow manage to become a morning person! I actually used to be the complete opposite – it wasn’t rare for me to be going to SLEEP at 4, and the thought of waking up that early would make me laugh myself sick. But I’m finding that, in general, the older I get, the less sleep I seem to need.

I woke up at 5:45 this morning but lounged around in bed for a couple hours because I’m still recovering from my trip to Costa Rica. breakfast was a yogurt bowl with strawberries, blueberries, and granola. an essential part of my morning is a run and breakfast Rachel @ Undercover Diva: A Sitcom recently posted..Pura Vida: Turrialba and Parismina

Now waking up at 6 sounds a bit more doable. 4 is pushing it for me – I have that long day feeling and I don’t wake up until 7! I think it’s all about what works for you, though. Waking up early to have a couple hours of peace sounds heavenly. I’m all about waking up early just to add in extra hours to my day.

I’m a big morning person too I guess the one good thing about all of this stress that I have been having recently is the fact that I’ve been able to sleep a little bit later than normal. In the summer, I tend to wake up earlier because of the sun – around 4:45-5am-ish. I always have to start out with a big glass of water as well, I feel so dehydrated when I wake up!Becky @ Olives n Wine recently posted..Marathon Training – Week 8 Recap

It was precisely 6:12am when I woke up this morning. I do wish I could have kept on sleeping since I worked 12 hours on Monday… my breakfast was 1) water 2) ozery morning round and 3) chai tea with coconut almond milk.
Essential part of my morning is drinking my water, taking my probiotic and letting my mind wake up to the day.

Although I can’t relate to a 4am wake up call, I am definitely with you about starting the day early enough to have a relaxed morning. When I was working at an office, I used to set my alarm to a time that would ensure I could work out without feeling pressed for time, come back home to get ready and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Unsurprisingly the mornings I am rushed tend to start my day off on the worst foot and changes my attitude completely. As for today, I was out of bed by 8 am and “broke the fast” with a bowl of Greek yogurt with berries, banana, cereal, almonds and peanut butter…whilst watching the news on the telly :)!

Well I just finished 7 nights in a row Monday morning, slept til 1pm
and then stayed up til I started to shake from fatigue. That was about 730pm. I then woke up with my usual post night shift headache about 1230am and have been up since! Nights are ok but turn around is horrible. It will take me a couple more days til I sleep properly through the the night again.

I wish I could wake up earlier. Actually, never mind. I just need to stop watching TV (except on Crossing Lines/Dateline Nights )
Good for you! Maybe I should start stretching/working out a bit in the morning. Hmm – such a hard decision Liz @ The Girl on Fire Now recently posted..Apparently, I had a life

I love that idea of putting meditation at the forefront of my day rather than in the middle/end of my day! I’m going to have to try that tomorrow! I usually get up between 6 am-6:30 am, but lately, I’ve been waking up at 5 am naturally! Not sure why…still trying to work it out haha!Brittany @ Balance and Bananas recently posted..Lifting Myself Up

4am is so early girl! I usually get up at 6:45 or 7. I always brush my teeth, shower, then eat. Then.. it’s off to work. I wish I could make myself get up earlier so that I could get more accomplished in the mornings, but it just isn’t happening! lolBrittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted..Homemade Salad Dressings

I love my morning routine and only wish I had more time to get everything in before work, including enjoying the solitude and calm that surrounds every morning.
I get up around five, watch the sunrise while I work on my blog, write out my things to do list and casually sip my morning coffee. At that hour, it’s just me and the felines watching the rest of the world (or at least our neighborhood) wake up. It’s one of my favorite times of each and every day.
I love the idea of doing some stretching though so I need to incorporate that somehow.Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets recently posted..Week In Review: The Back To Reality Edition

I’m always interested in peoples’ morning routines. It sounds weird, but everyone is so different and I think their mornings really show that.
Five out of seven days, I get up early, workout, eat, shower, and then go to work/school. I’m definitely a morning person. My mom and brother, on the other hand, don’t like to talk or interact with anyone for at least an hour! It’s funny.
I really love the idea of meditating/journaling. I started journaling just before bed a few months ago, but found that I lost the motivation and usually chose sleep over it. Maybe starting it out in the morning would help me stay with it…?Olivia @ Liv Lives Life recently posted..Topsail Beach: Part IV

That sounds like such a productive and rejuvenating way to utilise your 4.30 am starts! the past few weeks when i’ve been up at that time, I tend to just toss and turn or over-think things in my head- definitely not good for attempting to drift back to sleep! This morning though, I got up at 6.30, hit the gym and now sitting down for some protein oats and nuts. An essential part for me is without a doubt coffee.. its my liquid gold!Arman @ thebigmansworld recently posted..International Blogger Spotlight- Christine from Apple of my Eye

I wish I could function on less than seven hours of sleep. I like need seven minimum and lately I can’t seem to get that! I am that person that will sometimes wake up throughout the night but still is up and at em at 5:00 am. And coffee is my morning essential. best thing post runAlex @ therunwithin recently posted..But I have to.

You inspire me to wake up earlier! I am such a morning person. I love the morning. It’s so peaceful. But lately I haven’t been able to pull myself out of bed early enough to enjoy the morning fully. I would ideally like to wake up, have a cup of tea, finalize a blog post, read blogs, check emails, get a workout in, shower and head to work. That sounds perfect. It’s just that initial getting out of bed in the morning bit I struggle with. It takes 3 weeks (or something) to make a habit. I should really get working on this one.Melanie @ BeautifullyNutty recently posted..Clean Almond Chocolate Cookies

According to Facebook chat I woke up about 5:20 today.That’s probably the average but it can be anywhere between 4 and 6 am, up to 7 if I’ve gone to bed really really late. I don’t use alarms and normally I feel quite energetic (hot summer days don’t count because I feel like crap pretty much all the time). Just like you, I love having me time in the morning when everything is still quiet and calm. I am actually happy my body is this kind of crazy because otherwise communication with the other end of the world would be difficult.

I love my morning time and often use it to gather my thoughts and prepare for the day. I often use my notebooks although I make lists mostly rather than writing journal entries. I do have a notebook for creative writing which sometimes makes it into my morning (depending on how much time I have). I really don’t like when my morning time gets cut into but it happens more often than I want. That is what drives me to get up in the morning (before everyone else).Sarah @ Feeeding the Brain and Body recently posted..A Fact Filled WIAW – with floral clocks, marmite, and tar tar

I’m a solid 8-10hr a night girl. It’s sort of pathetic, because anything less makes me a complete monster. I’m talking irritable, sensitive, agitated…basically someone you do NOT want to be around ha. Usually I’m asleep by 10 and wake up at 6 (more precisely 6:06) for work. If I don’t have work my bedtime is usually the same but I sleep until 8. If I don’t set my alarm, it’s always 8….even if I go to bed at 1 in the morning. I guess your 4 is my 8. Eeeek!Laura recently posted..Jumble of Thoughts

Oh, how I long to be a morning person! I can’t wake up in a timely manner (read: before 9am) without an alarm. But mornings are my favorite time – that calm before most of the world is up and about. And no matter when I wake up, I always like to spend a couple of hours just relaxing and prepping for the day, but more often than not, I wake up with *just* enough time to get ready before I have to leave.

I probably have to attempt to go to bed earlier, but my most productive hours of the day are between 11pm and 1am. Fail.

I’m with you, I love my morning alone time and my morning routine. However, since school (and teaching) is starting back, my routine will be non-existent anymore. Boo! It’ll be back to rushing out the door. Boy do I enjoy my summer morning time!Sarah @ A Refining Adventure recently posted..WIAW – “Things I Want” Edition

I actually don’t really do any specific kind of poses or flow… I just stretch whatever feels tight. But have you checked out Tara Stiles? She has some really great sequences for pretty much everything http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga

One thing I miss most from having my day shift schedule was getting up early and having “me” time before the day started. I mean, I guess technically, I have that now, but when you wake up at 2-3pm for your “morning” it just doesn’t feel the same…plus it’s always hard for me to tell if I’m still tired and should stay in bed or if I should force myself to get up. And meals tend to get a little weird too…like today (er, yesterday?) when I woke up, I had a bar before heading to the gym and then came home and had tomato soup and garlic cheese toast for “breakfast”! LolHeather @ Kiss My Broccoli recently posted..Tuesday Truths

Hello, hello friendly faces! My name is Amanda. I'm a certified health coach, recipe developer, and the mastermind behind Running With Spoons -- a little corner of the web where I share delicious recipes, healthy lifestyle tips, and various other bits and bobs that run through my head. You can learn more about me here, or e-mail me with any questions at
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